Electromagnetic Processes in Dispersive Media

Book excerpt: This text presents a systematic discussion of electromagnetic waves and radiation processes in a wide variety of media. The treatment, taken from the field of plasma physics, is based on the dielectric tensor; the authors unify approaches used in plasma physics and astrophysics on the one hand and in optics on the other. Necessary mathematical tools, such as tensor algebra, Fourier transforms, and distributions, are included in Part One. Parts Two, Three, and Four cover the properties of media, the properties of waves in various media, and the general theory of emission processes, such as multipole emission, bremsstrahlung, and cyclotron emission. Part Five is at a more advanced level and covers specific emission processes in greater detail.